Canadian singer-songwriter and opening act of the Canadian leg of Justin Timberlake's Man of the Woods Tour, Francesco Yates, is back with the release of his second EP "Superbad". This album represents a huge milestone in the artist's career as it's Yates' first independent debut EP, released under his label, FY records. In an interview with Complex Canada, Yates describes how his new album is inspired by a particularly fun and chaotic relationship in his life. Superbad tells the story of the chase leading up to the relationship and how feelings for someone begin to change once one discovers who that person truly is.
What I Like:
Superbad is a scintillating pop-funk album with catchy lyrics and energizing beats. The album brings to mind artists such as Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams, and showcases Yates' impressive vocal range. Yates begins his album with his thirty-seven second Nostalgia Prelude, where he clearly describes the story behind his EP. Although each song on the album is well-produced, my favourites from the EP are "Superbad", "Dirty Little Secrets", and "Bad Decisions".
"Superbad" is track two on the album and flows perfectly following the Nostalgia Prelude. With a fast-paced funky beat, Superbad is a great song to add to any running/workout playlist. With lyrics like, "She's a criminal tonight/She gon' steal this heart of mine/ But I like it", Yates paints a picture of how he falls for a girl who he knows he could never really get, but he cannot bring himself to leave.
"Dirty Little Secrets" is a song that immediately catches your attention and nods to 112-style nineties sounds. The song, co-written by award-winning producer Ali Payami, sounds right out of an action-packed movie and has a very cinematic appeal.
"Bad Decisions" further builds on the story put forth in "Superbad" and describes the tale of getting into trouble with a partner in crime. With lyrics such as, "'Cause ooh, I got some bad decisions/I think I wanna make/If I can make 'em with you", the song provides fun and upbeat lyrics that instantly make you want to sing a-long. This is a great song to add to your driving playlist and is perfect for fans of Yates' song "Do You Think About Me".
What I Didn't Like:
Although I loved multiple songs on Yates' EP, I found the lyrics in some songs to be repetitive and lacking in substance. Unlike his earlier releases like "I Got You" and "Call" which had intimate lyrics depicting love and pain, no song on Yates' new album truly spoke to me in the same way. The lyrics are catchy and easy to listen to, however, I missed the lack of meaningful and raw lyrics.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed Yates' Superbad EP. Each song on the album has energizing beats, catchy chorus lyrics, and features Yates' extraordinary vocal range. What's even more impressive is that Yates personally produced three songs on the album, playing the guitar, drums, and bass. Therefore, I would give this album an....